MEPs cancel Turkey trip as relations sour

Prime minister Aleksandar Vucic increases his majority in parliament. The EU is relieved, but critics worry that he now has too much power.

A decision to pardon everybody under investigation for electoral fraud has reignited a political crisis in Macedonia - a front-line state in the EU refugee crisis.

Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday formally applied for EU membership, a process that is likely to take years.

The former Yugoslavia republic said it will formally apply to the EU next Monday. But the country still faces a number of underlying problems that make accession an unrealistic possibility in the short term.

“I believe that 2016 could be the year that we end the unacceptable status quo”, said Cypriot president Anastiades. Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci said talks were at a "crucial phase".

The Western Balkan state is the third country in a week to see its membership talks move on, in a drive to boost enlargement policy in face of the migration crisis.

The EU revived accession talks with Turkey in line with the bloc's deal on migration and opened membership talks with Serbia.

The EU aims to start Serbia accession talks before the end of the year. But regional instability, and Serbia’s strong ties to Russia, cloud the process.

Turkey has detained eight suspected Islamic State fighters it says posed as refugees, amid broader moves by the EU to get Ankara to contain Syrian asylum seekers.

The adopted legislation was a requirement from Brussels if Ukraine wants visa-free travel.

Serbia is likely to open EU membership talks this year. But Macedonia could go backwards due to its political crisis, the EU Commission has said.

Turkey’s strongman leader has demanded world respect for his party’s victory in elections marred by a media crackdown and violence.